Monthly Archives: July 2008

Abviva, Inc. (AVVA.OB), a biomedical company that specializes in the development and commercialization of diagnostic and therapeutic products from mammastatin, a growth-regulatory protein that inhibits breast cancer cell growth, was recently noted as a stock to watch. Abviva’s research focuses on developing innovative breast cancer diagnostic and therapeutic products that can benefit individuals throughout the world.

Abviva’s growth strategy is to develop a fully integrated diagnostic and therapeutic business that is sustained by product and services revenues. Additionally, the company plans to commercialize the Mammastatin Serum Assay, which measures a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, through its wholly owned subsidiary laboratory, as well as develop additional breast cancer therapies through internal and external collaborative research with pharmaceutical, biotechnology and research institutions.

The Mammastatin Serum Assay is currently being studied as a method of providing early detection of breast cancer in women who have no symptoms, and to identify women who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer. The company intends to continue to conduct research on mammastatin in order to advance the knowledge and understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the mammastatin link to breast cancer. When detected early, women with breast cancer have up to a 98-percent probability of survival.

Probe Manufacturing, Inc. (PMFI.OB), an electronics manufacturing company specializing in developing and manufacturing power electronics for electric/hybrid applications, is a “Stock to Watch” here at QualityStocks.

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Lake Forest, California, Probe Manufacturing provides a full range of electronics design, manufacturing, and supply chain management services to some of the world’s leading aerospace, industrial, alternate fuel, electric/hybrid, and medical device manufacturing firms. The company’s research focuses on developing advanced power electronics and electronic controllers that improve reliability, efficiency, and ruggedness, and decrease systems costs for advanced vehicles and power generation systems.

One of the company’s core products, the SOLARIS LC-II, is a low-cost universal electronics control unit (ECU) that allows passenger cars, mopeds, rickshaws and forklifts to operate on gaseous fuels. With more than 900 million cars, trucks and buses, and tens of millions of stationary engines including industrial, agricultural and power generators operating worldwide, Probe Manufacturing is well positioned to capture a significant portion of the ECU market share. As global markets continue to demand cleaner and more efficient engines, the need for more advanced and cost effective ECUs will increase.

Cubic Energy, Inc. (QBIK.OB), an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company, announced today that its common shares have been approved for listing on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). Cubic is expected to begin trading under the symbol “QBC” on the AMEX on Monday, August 4, 2008. Assuming Cubic is in compliance with all applicable listing standards on that date, Cubic will only trade on the AMEX and will no longer be quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board.

“This is an incredible milestone for Cubic and its shareholders. With the ability to list on AMEX, Cubic is able to reach both United States and Global investors,” stated Calvin Wallen III, President-CEO of Cubic Energy, Inc.

Cubic primarily operates in eastern Texas and western Louisiana in the heart of the Haynesville Shale, where it controls 6,326 net acres that abut Chesapeake Energy (CHK) and Goodrich Petroleum (GDP) land. The recent discovery of the Haynesville’s potential has fueled a frenzied land grab in the region, and led to speculation that Cubic could be on the verge of either signing a significant joint venture deal, or perhaps even getting bought outright. Shares of QBIK.OB rose nearly 20% intraday to close at $4.68 after release of the listing news at 2:27 pm. Shares have traded between $0.87 and $5.25 during the past year.

GSI Technology, Inc. (GSIT), a provider of static random access memory (SRAM) products used in telecommunications equipment, released Q1 2009 financial results today after the close. Revenues were $17.3 million, an increase of 53% year over year. Net income increased 173% to $3.0 million, or 11 cents per share, compared to $1.1 million or 4 cents per share last year. Analysts expected earnings of 7 cents per share on revenues of $15.3 million.

“In both sales and profitability, we continue to build on the momentum established in prior quarters,” said Lee-Lean Shu, the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The growth in revenue — which was accompanied by stronger margins as the sales mix shifted toward a higher percentage of high-density products — was driven primarily by an increase in direct and indirect sales to Cisco Systems, which were $5.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2009 compared to $4.2 million in each of the preceding two quarters. The other significant contributor was a $400,000 shipment of a high-density device to a customer in the military/defense sector; this, in conjunction with a strong increase in sales of SigmaQuad products, further contributed to the improvement in margins.”

GSI issued revenue guidance for the second quarter. The company expects to recognize sales in a range of $16.5 million to $17.3 million. Analysts surveyed currently anticipate $15.8 million in revenues for Q2. Shares of GSIT closed at $3.90 today and have traded within a range of $2.20 – $4.96 during the past year. With 28 million shares outstanding, GSIT has a market cap of $109 million. Shareholder’s equity is $80.9 million, or approximately $2.90 per share.

Diabetes is a word we’re all familiar with, but many people don’t know the list of afflictions associated with the disease, which include blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations and nerve damage. Approximately 221 million people around the world have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

AtheroGenics Inc. (Nasdaq: AGIX) is a pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, including diabetes and coronary heart disease. The company today announced top-line results from its ANDES phase 3 clinical trial of AGI-1067, the company’s lead antioxidant and anti-inflammatory drug candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

According to the trial study, AGI-1067 met the primary efficacy endpoint for the reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin in both 75mg and 150mg doses. Russell M. Medford, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of AtheroGenics said the company is pleased with the results, which will allow the company to progress with AGI-1067’s development.

“We believe that AGI-1067, through its unique mechanism of action, could become the first diabetes treatment with demonstrated cardiovascular safety, and with the potential to reduce cardiovascular hard events including cardiovascular death, heart attack and stroke, as reported from the 6,144 patient phase 3 ARISE trial, which concluded in 2007,” Medford stated in the press release.

The company also announced it has developed a patient identification tool that will allow medical personnel to screen for the small number of patients who may run the risk of hepatic effects that have been observed during treatment with AGI-1067. According to the press release, the tool has performed well at identifying at-risk diabetes patients across all doses used in the ARISE and ANDES trials.

“We are excited about the advances we have made to date with the patient identification tool for AGI-1067,” Alexander Fleming, M.D., acting chief medical officer stated. “We plan to incorporate this tool into the next AGI-1067 phase 3 trial.”

DRI Corp. (Nasdaq: TBUS) is a digital communications technology leader in the domestic and international surface transportation and transit security markets. The company has a diverse portfolio of products, including TwinVision and Mobitech electronic designation sign system; Talking Bus voice announcement systems; Digital Recorders, an Internet-based passenger information and automatic vehicle tracking system; and VacTell, a video actionable intelligence system.

The company today announced its preliminary second quarter results, posting expectations of net sales of $19.4 million, up 30 percent for the same period last year, marking a record high for second quarter sales volume.

DRI’s products aid in transit vehicle tracking and monitoring, and aid operators in their goal to increase ridership and decrease fuel consumption. David L. Turney, chairman, president and CEO of DRI, said global transit market trends, high gas prices and high ridership support the company’s fiscal 2008.

“Our increased revenue and backlog in the second quarter of 2008 suggest that the plans we’ve made, implemented, and refined during the past few years are continuing to unfold in a positive manner. For the second quarter of 2008, we expect to exceed the revenues posted in the same period last year and also to exceed revenues from first quarter 2008. We also expect the second quarter of 2008 to be profitable,” Turney stated in the press release.

While we all hear about the subprime home loan problems the banks are having, we have not heard about credit card write-offs. If a person was to default on a home loan, why wouldn’t they just go ahead and stop paying on their credit cards? Their credit score would be ruined anyway and there would be no incentive to keep up payments. Credit card debt is unsecured–banks can’t reclaim dinners at McDonald’s and vacations taken five years ago.

I went to American Express’ web site and looked at a shareholder presentation. It listed the following. Bank of America has $161B in credit card loans and 29% is subprime (FICO less than 660). Citigroup has $194 in credit card loans and 24% is subprime. JPMorgan has $151B in credit card debt and 20% subprime.

Now, let’s look at the tangible assets (capital) of each bank and what percentage is equivalent to its subprime credit card debt. Citigroup has $60.6 billion in equity (capital) and $46.56 B in subprime credit card debt , which equals 76.83%. Bank of America has $68 billion in equity and $46.7 B in subprime credit card debt, which equals 68.7%. JPMorgan has $74 B in equity and $30.2 B in subprime credit card debt, which is the least amount at 40.8%.

What the FDIC covers is the following: $100,000 for one person’s certificates of deposit and savings; $200,000 for a joint account; $250,000 total for retirement accounts (IRAs, 401Ks, SEPs, Roths, etc.); if it is a trust account, it can be up to $100,000 for each person on the trust.

Don’t be foolish and have more than these limits!!!!! If you know someone who is elderly and has a large slug of cash at a bank, make sure that it is divided in such a way as to be covered by the FDIC.

Intevac (IVAC) is a California-based company with two main corporate divisions – Intevac Equipment and Intevac Imaging. The Intevac Equipment division is the world’s leading provider of magnetic media deposition equipment to the hard disk drive industry. This division also offers leading-edge, high-productivity etch systems to the semiconductor industry.

The Intevac imaging division, called Intevac Photonics, develops compact, cost-effective, high-sensitivity, digital optical products for the capture and display of low-light images and the optical analysis of materials. This Intevac division manufactures products for both commercial and military applications. The company’s commercial products include scientific cameras and Raman spectrometer systems.

Intevac’s imaging division also manufactures sensors, cameras, and systems for military applications such as digital night vision and long-range target identification. Some of the company’s specific military products include sensors and cameras for use in extreme low-light situations, systems for long-range target identification, and high-performance, micro-display products for near-eye and portable viewing of video.

On July 30, 2008, Intevac’s Photonics division announced that their DeltaNu business unit has been awarded a contract in excess of $1 million from the Department of Defense to develop advanced Raman spectroscopy systems for both military and civilian applications. Applications would include detection of toxic materials and pathogens for the military, and detection of hazardous materials for civilian applications.

Wescorp Energy specializes in the optimization of operations and maintenance for companies in various segments of the oil & gas industry. While Wescorp more than adequately tends the common fuel harvester’s needs, a portion of its business is dedicated to providing solutions for unconventional oil & gas operations.

Coalbed methane is one of Wescorp’s areas of expertise. Production measurement is an ever-present obstacle, due to product loss caused by traditional monitoring techniques. By way of Wescorp’s method, there is little or no pressure drop as a result of obtaining readings. A drop in pressure can cause production losses, as well as freezing.

Companies harvesting natural gas from wells in the Barnett Shale formation (a 5,000 square mile Texas formation said to contain the largest natural gas field in the US) can also benefit from Wescorp’s assistance. Barnett Shale wells are known to produce significant quantities of water with the gas, although Wescorp’s methods are unaffected by this. Wet gas monitoring can be a severe hurdle in Barnett Shale. Additionally, the company’s water remediation technologies come into play here, removing contaminants from the water extracted from the well.

All of Wescorp’s operations are designed with environmental remediation in mind, proving that this is a company that not only provides integral services to oil & gas, but that it also respects our fragile eco-system in the process.

Axial Vector Energy Corporation is engaged in the ownership, development, and licensing of advanced combustion engine and power generation technologies. The company presently has ten patents pending on various aspects of its business.

Final tests are being performed on Axial Vector’s 100KW coreless axial flux permanent magnet generator, a unit with a power conversion efficiency of nearly one-hundred percent. This rivals the performance of much larger, industrial-strength units. A pair of these 100KW generators, combined with Axial Vector’s 352 horsepower “Work Horse” engine, forms a generator set (GENSET); a free-standing electricity generation and regulation unit, capable of providing a steady power supply at several different output strengths.

The generators are fed into what is called a rectifier, establishing a direct current (DC) link, which is subsequently inverted to alternating current (AC) by pulse width modulation switches. These switches are operated and regulated by the GENSET’s advanced control system.

The Axial Vector GENSET implements a highly-attuned, full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) system that maintains close control over the unit’s operation. The FADEC monitors, optimizes, and equalizes all unit functions; engine, generators, rectifier, inverter and auxiliary systems are orchestrated to perform at the highest possible levels of efficiency. Upon the approval of certain related patents, Axial Vector is poised to take a leading role in the field of electricity generation.

Technological change is a knife that can cut both ways. An investor knows that there is money to be made, but is unsure of where it can be found. A “sure thing” one day can be an outdated “could have been” the next. Finding and making a bet on where technology will take the world is a risky bet to be sure, but one that can pay off with big profits if the right choices are made at the right times.

KIT Digital Inc., an Internet television marketing company, works to offer Internet and mobile handset users a variety of media content directed at improving client companies’ branding and marketing efforts. Currently, the company has over 40,000 content clips available – through its relationship with Media Gateway, a video clip clearing house – and plans to expand that number through original content.

Although the company is currently focusing on marketing opportunities available through Internet video content, its primary mission is to aid its clients with marketing opportunities found in all Internet-based activities. In other words, general marketing programs directed through the use of Internet technology. The wave that is Internet television, however, is where the company is currently spending its efforts. It is offering marketing programs revolving around Europe 2008 and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Content is the key element in these two program’s successes, and is well underway. The company has crews on the ground for both pre- and post-event coverage and the systems in place to offer that content to Internet and mobile users.

Technological change is next to impossible to predict as the Internet makes advances and market changing moves on a daily basis. What is easily suggested is that Internet video applications are in their infancy as they relate to marketing and selling opportunities. KIT Digital is on the ground floor of a market that is set to explode in one direction or another. Its ultimate end may be unknown, but its potential for profit is huge.

Business resurgence is a wonderful way of capturing stock value. The foresight to buy stock with a far better future than its recent past costs little. Yet it offers prospects of superior returns. Here is a small-capital case in point from Houston, TX.

The United States has enormous reserves of coal. This vital energy source has long been maligned, though it can now be used without harm to the environment. Similarly, methane gas, which occurs naturally amidst coal beds, and which has also acquired notoriety for causing fatal mishaps in mines, is in reality, an untapped potential as an energy source.

Methane from beds of coal is cheaper and easier to bring to the surface than other natural gases. This is the basis of the enterprise under discussion. The company deals in coalbed methane. It turns a hazard into a great opportunity for a country long suffering from crude oil vagaries.

The United States can no longer afford to ignore its natural and indigenous energy resources. This hard reality is the basis of stock value in this case. The end-July stock price has hovered below $7: the best energy-domain experts forecast the figure to double in the near future.

Budget Waste Inc. (PINKSHEETS: BDGW) announced today that the company has switched all of its diesel trucks over to a biodiesel blend.

Management believes that participating in green environmental practices will yield positive results for the environment. Being committed to the future health of our planet is a high priority within BWI. Therefore converting to Biofuel is the logical choice at this time

Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Since the company’s founding in 1988, ICP has managed to become the leading innovator in the solar industry. ICP has their own intellectual property and next generation technologies that have been mostly used in the consumer solar market. The company is focusing on also tapping into the OEM, rooftop and power generation segments of the solar industry.

ICP Solar owns their own brands which include Sunesei®, Isun®, Sunsei® Mobile, Sunsei® Industrial, and Sunsei® Home. ICP has a Solar S tile project designed for residential BIPV application and is managed in partnership with IbersolarEnergia SA in Spain. The company’s full product line of solar panels and accessories range in use for RVs, boats, trucks, cars, ATVs, motorcycles, backup power, and homes and farms. ICP is positioned well for success with the solar energy industry producing growth of 40% per year.

uKarma Corporation (UKMA.OB) is a lifestyle multimedia and consumer products and services company focused on health, wellness and personal development in a $220 billion growing market. The company creates DVDs, CDs, books and other proprietary products and services with the intention of engaging customers to reduce stress, lose weight, build fitness, improve nutrition, and enhance personal relationships. uKarma is focused on providing ways for people to achieve wellness in different aspects of their lives.

uKarma Corporation’s key product is the Xflowsion™ DVD series. Xflowsion™ is a triple-trainer using martial arts, power yoga, and dance to provide a convenient, efficient and fun workout. The series is shot in high definition, has 5.1-surround sound, and provides a live band to work out with. uKarma uses Northern Response International, Ltd. to provide international sales of the Xflowsion™ DVD series. XFlowsion should be distributed in around 90 countries and the company expects sales to increase dramatically.

uKarma has plans to launch new products such as a diet book called the Karma Diet and an audio series called Dreams Realized. The company also plans to extend the Karma Diet brand into food delivery service, nutritional supplements, and other diet products. The xFlowsion™ DVD series has received coverage in magazine publications such as Shape, Self, US Weekly, In Touch, and In Style.

XO Communications, a subsidiary of XO Holdings, Inc. has signed a three-year agreement with the Utah Education Network, a not-for-profit consortium of higher and public education, libraries, state government and businesses. Based on the agreement, XO will provide high-speed dedicated Internet access and metro private line services to the education network which will enhance their existing IT services for educators and students statewide.

According to the agreement, the Utah Education Network will purchase high-capacity network access services that include XO High-Speed Dedicated Internet Access and will use the XO network services to provide a high-speed, statewide data network for K-12 schools, colleges and libraries. This new service will be a benefit to the Utah Education Network because it will enable them to provide free professional development workshops for educators; high school and college courses via live interactive video conferencing; and learning resources for everyone from pre-school children to senior citizens.

In regards to the new agreement, Michael Petersen, Executive Director for the Utah Education Network stated, “Utah Education Network selected XO Communications based on a competitive bid process involving nine telecom and Internet service providers to increase Internet and WAN backbone capacity for our customers. The Utah Education Network mission is to deliver educational services that improve the quality of student achievement and communication among educators, and XO Communications will enable that as we continue to expand on our resources.”

Commenting on behalf of XO Communications, Shawn Adamson, general manager of the Salt Lake City office also stated, “XO Communications is committed to providing the most advanced Ethernet services to support the Utah Education Network’s statewide data network for students and educators. XO Ethernet Services will serve as the backbone for the Utah Education Network as it continues to facilitate innovative learning techniques.”

There are many ways to exploit a market running at full tilt. A company can dive right in, investing and developing product along with all the other major players, or it can trail along behind and scoop up profits that may have been left behind. Either method is a perfectly sound way of capitalizing on a hot market. Finding the leaders in a hot market is not difficult; finding the opportunist company is. There are always increased risks when investing with an opportunist company, but it can result in excellent profits if the company plays its hand correctly.

Foothill Resources Inc., an oil and gas exploration and development company, works to exploit oil and gas reserves found in low- to moderate-risk areas of California, Texas and Oklahoma. The company’s primary strategy is to locate past oil and gas finds in North America to exploit at lower cost and risk.
Generally speaking, the company relies on past data and drilling patterns for its property acquisition programs. Its California property is located at an oil and gas site first discovered and worked in the 1930s. This site is primarily off-shore but with excellent on-shore potential for natural gas. Larger and smaller companies have worked in the region and currently still do. Smaller amounts of natural gas are indicated at shallower depths.

The company’s two other properties, in Texas and Oklahoma, remain in the seismic testing phase. The Texas property shows excellent gas potential from tests at deeper levels. The Oklahoma properties also indicate excellent gas potential from a 1996 testing program completed by a major oil and gas company. Unfortunately, there is a sand layer located at this site meaning deeper drilling is necessary.

The company is following a fairly safe exploration program in its search for oil and gas. Currently, it appears that gas is its primary focus. From a general perspective, however, relying on others to perform exploration tasks can be fairly limiting. Foothill Resources does appear to have a solid plan of attack but needs to push its own exploration programs a bit further. In this respect, relying on others only takes a company so far. With its current structure, and a little extra “juice” from management, Foothill Resources appears ready to break into the oil and gas market with a solid profit potential.

Business Management guru, Professor Michael Porter from the Harvard Business School, has postulated two types of approaches to competition: differentiation and cost leadership. Most corporations follow one of these two alternatives. The thinking has also permeated the world of stock investors. Niche players in luxury segments and generic market leaders are behind some top stocks.

Such a black-and-white approach to business management and stock investing may be outmoded now. Segments have begun to overlap. The most demanding customers demand both the prestige of sporting brands, and the economies of plain-Jane generics. Circumstances also force customers to move vertically: the wealthy of the past are forced to compromise on price fronts, even as the progressive middle-classes of emerging economies move up the Malthusian ladder of wants.

Some corporations fight the haziness of segment boundaries with products at several price points. The automobile industry is a case in point. A leading German manufacturer with a name signifying a car for the masses, now offers luxury models at the top-end of the market. You can also buy a compact with limited editions of extravagant features. The Japanese have done this as well, but it is hard to tell their umbrella-brand personalities from individual offerings.

Politics suggests a better solution. Public posturing by presidential primes is as inclusive as possible. Your chances of making it to the Oval Office are best if you appeal to the widest part of the bell-curve of an electorate. It makes good sense for stock value, if a management is able to take aim at a broad and stable cluster, rather than at a capricious target.

As part of the Paper and Paper Products industry, Buckeye Technologies Inc. (BKI) is a manufacturer and marketer of specialty fibers and nonwoven materials. Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, they trade on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). They are specialists in polymer chemistry and fiber science, making cellulose-based specialty products.

Buckeye Technologies Inc. operates facilities in the United States, Germany, Canada, and Brazil. They sell their products globally to makers of consumer and industrial goods. Sixty-eight percent of their sales are outside the United States. However, they produce seventy-four percent of their products in the United States.

The company offers cellulose-based specialty products made from both cotton and wood. They utilize airlaid and wetlaid processing technologies. They focus on niche specialty cellulose markets, as specialty cellulose normally commands higher prices. In addition, demand for specialty cellulose is less cyclical than commodity cellulose.

Buckeye began in the early 1900’s when Proctor and Gamble started the Buckeye Cottonseed Oil Company to provide a source of vegetable oil. In 1993, Buckeye became an independent enterprise due to a management buyout. In 1995, Buckeye went public. Today, the company operates in a $7B market.

The company has more than 65 research development scientists and technicians. Buckeye Technologies Inc. produces nonwoven materials such as feminine hygiene products, baby wipes, and specialty mops and wipes. This accounts for 32 percent of their products. They produce fluff and pulp products including disposal diapers, which account for 18 percent of their product lines. Their chemical cellulose category, which accounts for 32 percent of their line-up, includes products like food casings, ethers, rayon filaments, and acetates. Accounting for eighteen percent of their products are customized fibers. These include filters, personal stationary, premium letterhead, and currency bills.

Buckeye Technologies Inc. continues to innovate with fiber and nonwoven materials. Their desire is to produce the quality products that their customers need daily. With their cellulose-based specialty products, they also desire to give value to their shareholders on a consistent basis.

A simple mathematical equation has turned an idea into an innovative enterprise. Using renewable resources, Cereplast Inc. produces bio-based resins, which find use as substitutes for petroleum-based plastics. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, and trading on the OTCBB, the company designs and manufactures proprietary starch-based renewable plastics. The starch used in these products comes from your typical morning cereal products such as corn, tapioca, and wheat. This starch also derives from potatoes.

Bio-based resins offer manufacturers price stability from chaotic world petroleum prices. They also offer competitive costing compared to resins normally used. The process for making bio-based resins involves processing at a lower heat than that needed for plastics manufacturing.

Cereplast Inc.’s resins are suitable for use in all major converting processes. These include injection molding, thermoforming, blow molding, and extrusions. The company’s resins are certified biodegradable and compostable by BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute).

Cereplast Compostables™ resins are best for single-use applications. Food service and packaging industries find this suitable because of the advantages of high bio-based content and compostability. The company’s Cereplast Hybrid Resins™ products combine high bio-based content with the durability of traditional plastic. Cereplast Hybrid Resins™ products serve customers in the automotive, consumer goods, electronics, and packaging industries.

Cereplast, Inc. secured patent protection for their Cereplast Compostable® resin family of products from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on July 1, 2008. The company announced in June that products made from Cereplast Compostables® resins meet new federal procurement guidelines for bio-based content, enacted June 13 by the United States Department of Agriculture. All companies using Cereplast Compostables® resins qualify for listing on the USDA “BioPreferred” web site. “BioPreferred” products receive preference by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the purchasing agent responsible for billions of dollars in products which go out to different federal agencies.

Cereplast, Inc. knows their math. They are using a simple equation to produce innovative and environmentally friendly resins. They are leaving mathematics that are more advanced to their accounting and finance departments who are responsible for calculating profits, revenues, and shareholder returns.

Headquartered in New York, New York, interCLICK, Inc. operates the interCLICK Network. They provide Internet advertising solutions for Internet publishers and advertisers in the United States. They are an online ad network that combines advanced behavioral targeting with site-by-site reporting. This allows advertisers to identify and track their desired audience.

Michael Katz founded the company in 2004 with the help of some fraternity brothers from Syracuse University, along with a team of developers, which included his brother Andrew. Today, interCLICK maintains more than a hundred active advertiser relationships and approximately a thousand publisher relationships. The company became publicly traded public in October of 2007, and trades on the OTCBB.

The company offers advanced proprietary demographic, behavioral, contextual, geographic, and retargeting technologies across a network of name brand publishers. This is to ensure the right message is delivered to a precise audience in a brand-friendly environment. Last Thursday they announced that they have appointed Jason Lynn as Vice President of Product Management. He will be responsible for overseeing engineering, product management, quality assurance, and technical operations. Mr. Lynn joins the company from Yahoo!/Right Media, where he was Director of Solutions Engineering.

Last Wednesday interCLICK, Inc. announced they have hired two seasoned sales executives to support new offices they have opened in Chicago and San Francisco. They named Ben Vincelette to the position of Director of Sales, Western Region and named Tim Stejskal Vice President of Sales for the Midwest Region.

The company also announced this month that they generated the tenth-most unique visitors among all online advertising networks for the month of June 2008. interCLICK Inc. reached almost 119 million monthly unique visitors during June, which represents 62.6 percent of all users online. interCLICK has continued their growth from calendar year 2007. They currently rank as the fastest-growing advertising network from June 2007 to June 2008, showing 121 percent growth in that period.

MedeFile International, Inc. (MDFI.OB), a company using advanced technology to provide consumers with convenient and secure medical records management solutions, was pleased to announce this morning that it has reached an agreement with Direct Technology Innovations (DTI) to market its technology and services to DTI’s customer base. The MedeFile-Light subscription will be offered as a gift to customers who use DTI’s electronic payments systems.

“As a recognized national leader in transaction technology, it is our belief that there is no more important personal transaction than what takes place between a patient and his or her doctor. MedeFile’s innovative approach to managing the health records of the typical American healthcare consumer is truly a breakthrough. The MedeFile solution has the power to save thousands of man hours and millions of dollars overnight. Moreover, it is cost effective and simple to use for both the user and the healthcare provider – not to mention that it is also a ‘green’ paper-free product,” stated President and CEO of DTI, Edward Slominski.

DTI, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a nationally accredited transaction technology company providing independent distributors with a number of credit card processing solutions. Since 2001, DTI has been recognized for its high standards, quality solutions, and innovative merchant products and services. The transaction options available with DTI have proven to save time, streamline accounting operations, and help increase business revenues. Some of the innovative merchant services and products include Swipe N’ Go®, Click to Go® Online Ordering, and HWeb Mobile Ticketing Solutions®. Through its collaborative approach, DTI now dominates service to the quick service restaurant, the tour, and the transportation industries with its client-base ranging from Fortune 500 branded companies through local neighborhood merchants.

“Based on my personal and professional experience as the former owner of a high tech medical company and as founder of one of the first for profit Home Care agencies in the United States, I can not emphasize strongly enough that MedeFile is a product every American healthcare consumer needs,” concluded Slominski.

RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. (RRST), an Israeli provider of global content management and distribution services to television and radio broadcasters, announced second quarter financial results this morning. Revenues rose 30% to $19.1 million vs. analysts’ consensus of $18.5 million. Adjusted net income (non-GAAP) was $3.6 million, or 20 cents per share, an increase of 31% and 3 cents better than analysts’ estimates. Net income on a GAAP basis was $3.3 million, or 19 cents per share.

Backlog of signed agreements continues to rise, reaching a record $174 million at quarter’s end. RRsat raised revenue guidance for the full year to a range of $77 to $78 million. For the third quarter the company now expects to achieve between $19.7 and $20.3 million. Analysts currently anticipate revenues of $76.5 million and $19.3 million for the full year and third quarter respectively.

David Rivel, CEO of RRsat commented, “The second quarter of 2008 was another strong quarter, particularly in terms of revenues while improving our profitability, back to the ranges we expect. Furthermore, we continued to generate healthy cash flow, which will support our expansion strategy. Our backlog grew strongly, again to record levels offering us continued strong visibility for the coming years. In addition, we closed the acquisition of the Hawley teleport that will contribute to our growth in 2009 and beyond.”

Shares of RRST closed at $12.21 yesterday and have traded in a range of $10.15 – $26.50 during the past year. RRST pays a quarterly dividend of 8 cents per share for a yield of 2.7%. In early pre-market trading shares are bid 2.3% higher at $12.50.

Dawson Geophysical Company (DWSN), a leading provider of U.S. onshore seismic data acquisition services to oil and natural gas exploration and development companies, announced strong third quarter financial results this morning. Revenues were $84.6 million, an increase of 23% over prior year sales. Net income increased 28% to $9.7 million, or $1.27 per share. Analysts surveyed expected Dawson to report earnings of $1.13 per share on $82.7 million in revenues.

Fossil fuel prices near historical highs have Dawson’s clients engaged in frenzied domestic exploration activities, particularly those seeking natural gas shale plays like the Haynesville and Barnett. The company continues to make capital investments to meet this surging demand. After taking delivery of seven ION vibrator energy source units during the quarter, Dawson now accumulates seismic data across 115,000 channels with 143 vibrator units.

Stephen Jumper, President and CEO of Dawson Geophysical Company said, “Increased demand for higher subsurface resolution and lower finding and development costs by our clients fueled record third quarter and nine months results. This success further led to the fielding of an additional crew, our sixteenth, in May 2008 by redeploying an existing I/O MRX recording system. This crew has a smaller channel count and is initially committed to large scale 2D and smaller 3D seismic projects in the Appalachian Basin.”

Shares of DWSN closed at $54.30 yesterday and have traded in a 52-week range of $48.75 – $85.67. With 7.67 million shares outstanding, DWSN has a market cap of $420 million and a trailing 12-month P/E of 12.1. Trading in DWSN has historically been moderately correlated with action in the OIH, the oil services ETF. Since mid-May, however, that relationship has been broken, with DWSN down approximately 30% while the OIH is relatively unchanged.

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: LXRX), a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on discovering and developing breakthrough treatments for various human disease, recently announced the successful completion of the company’s Phase 1 multiple-dose escalation study in normal volunteers with LX1031, its oral drug candidate for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The recently completed trial for LX13031 was a randomized, double-blind, ascending multiple-dose study in which all dose levels were well tolerated over 14 days and no dose limiting toxicities were observed. Based on the success of the Phase I trial, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals plans to progress the new drug candidate into Phase II studies during the fourth quarter of this year.

LX1031 was designed to act locally in the gastrointestinal tract by reducing the serotonin available for receptor activation, without affecting serotonin levels in the brain or its central nervous system functions. The most recent Phase I study showed that LX1031 decreased urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) at all dose levels tested as compared to the placebo group. LX1031 is being developed as part of a product development collaboration with Symphony Capital Partners, L.P. and its co-investors.